It's said you can take the teacher out of the classroom, but you can't take the classroom out of the teacher.

Take Vikings softball coach Sean O'Mara, whose day job is history teacher at Siuslaw High School.

After each game, win or lose, he gathers his players in a circle.

"We talk about things we need to improve on," he said, "and we talk about how we correct those things."

Thursday (March 17) was another teachable moment as O'Mara found useful lessons in the Vikings' 5-3, season-opening victory at Waldport.

It also was a welcome day of sunshine.

"We tried to do some instruction today, because it was only the third day we've been outside," he said. "In three weeks we have not been able to practice outside at all, really."

It hasn't gotten any better this week, with games cancelled Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Weather willing, the Vikings will play two games in Reedsport on Good Friday, March 25.

Siuslaw is scheduled to play Harrisburg at 3 p.m. and Reedsport at 5 p.m. Reedsport hosts Harrisburg at 1 p.m.

"We just need to get more reps," O'Mara said. "That's hard to do now that we're in (season)."

Fortunately he has a nice veteran team of five seniors and eight juniors, each eager to learn, each a leader in her own special way.

"We don't have team captains," first baseman Claire Waggoner said. "It's not part of coach O'Mara's philosophy.

"Everyone can be a leader in different ways, and sometimes people need to lead at different times."

Leadership is important to O'Mara, even if he doesn't attach someone's name to it. He holds regular lunch meetings with players at the school, and organizes a team-building weekend retreat.

"We've really been working hard on leadership for two years," he said.  "We've done a lot of things to work on teamwork and leadership, and we try to get them to step up and understand their roles."

Waggoner may be the poster girl for his type of player.

"The lunch meetings create a unique opportunity for the team to really get to know each other, and to get to know the coaches," she said. "It's a time to learn signals, go over defensive situations, to help keep our minds in the softball realm."

It's early, but O'Mara already is happy with how his team is coming together this season.

He has Waggoner at first base and Jenicah Ecker at second to solidify his right-side defense. Cleanup-hitting Taylor Dotson is at third base, with senior transfer Anna Petras anchoring the defense at shortstop.

"Anna's going to really help us," O'Mara said. "It's allowed us to move Claire back to first base, which is her natural position."

The outfield includes Auriel Hager-Tolle in left, Anna Stonelake in center and Hannah Bartlett in right, with Katherine Dodson in reserve.

"Hannah's got good speed, and she's a heck of a team leader," O'Mara said. "She just needs more game experience.

"Those two girls, Anna (Petras) and Hannah, are going to be two key additions to what we already have in place."

The Vikings also have good leadership from pitcher Heidi Jones and catcher Nikki Launius, battery mates since seventh grade.

"They work well together," O'Mara said. "I still call the pitches, but I don't think it's going to be long before Nikki's calling her own game.

"That will be the coup de grace for her, the pinnacle, when she gets to call the pitches, and gets to decide what we're doing there."

O'Mara is confident that day will come soon, and that all the hard work will translate into wins.

"More Ws this year is realistic," he said.

More teachable moments?

That, too.

More sunshine?

Let's be realistic.

NOTES

Sean O'Mara is one of several Vikings coaches with two decades or more experience as head coaches at Siuslaw. ... Others include Tim Dodson (football), Chris Johnson (cross country/track and field), Diane Conlee (cheerleading) and Neil Wartnik (wrestling). ... O'Mara, Dodson, Johnson and Wartnik teach at the high school, Conlee at the elementary school. ...

Assistant coaches for softball are Bob Archer (JV head coach), Danielle Hanson, Erin Ellis, Katie Thrall and Jodie O'Mara. ...

Heidi Jones will pitch nearly every game for the Vikings, with Anna Petras as backup. ... Girls varsity bowling standout Abby Coday pitches for the junior varsity, and is expected to be a solid backup to Jones next season. ...

All 13 varsity players saw action Thursday at Waldport. Coming off the bench were third baseman Sara Keel, shortstop/second baseman Nicole Gordon, first baseman Chehalis Stinger and outfielder Katherine Dodson. ...

Eight Vikings are juniors, including starters Waggoner, Ecker, Jones, Launius and Hager-Tolle, and reserves Keel, Stinger and Dodson. Seniors include starters Dotson, Petras, Stonelake and Bartlett and reserve Gordon. ...

Dotson and Waggoner also were key members of the Vikings' varsity volleyball and basketball teams this school year. ...

"Out of the many sports programs, the softball group is most like family," Waggoner said. "We have each others' backs on and off the field. We all know and trust in that. It's a good feeling." ...

ROSTER

No.—Pos. Player, school year
  2—cf Anna Stonelake, senior
  3—2b-ss Nicole Gordon, senior
  4—rf Hannah Bartlett, senior
  6—2b Jenicah Ecker, junior
  7—ss Anna Petras, senior
  9—ca Nikki Launius, junior
11—p Heidi Jones, junior
12—of Katherine Dodson, junior
14—3b Sara Keel, junior
15—1b Claire Waggoner, junior
17—3b Taylor Dotson, senior
21—lf Auriel Hager-Tolle, junior
27—1b Chehalis Stinger, junior

2016 SCHEDULE

Nonleague

• Friday, March 25 — at Reedsport: vs. Harrisburg, 3 p.m.; vs. Reedsport, 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 29 — at Elmira, 4:30 p.m.
• Thursday, March 31 — Sutherlin, 4:30 p.m.
• Saturday, April 2 — Junction City (2), noon and 2 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 5 — at Tillamook, 3 p.m.

Far West League

• Friday, April 8 — at Marshfield (2), 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 12 — Brookings-Harbor, 5 p.m.
• Friday, April 15 — Douglas (2), 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 19 — at North Bend, 5 p.m.
• Friday, April 22 — at South Umpqua (2), 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 26 — Marshfield, 5 p.m.
• Friday, April 29 — at Brookings-Harbor (2), 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 3 — at Douglas, 5 p.m.
• Friday, May 6 — North Bend (2), 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 10 — South Umpqua, 5 p.m.
• Saturday, May 14 — OSAA ratings freeze date
• Thursday, May 19 — OSAA play-in date